Politics
JOF to highlight balance in powers of PM, president.

JOF to highlight balance in powers of PM, president

whois kamley

JOF to highlight balance in powers of PM, president

whois kamley

Politics

BD Correspondent:The draft election manifesto of the Jatiya Oikya Front would recommend a series of amendments to the Constitution to bring balance in the powers of the prime minister and the president.

On Sunday, JOF manifesto drafting committee members at a meeting held at the Gonoshathya Hospital reached the consensus to curb the prime minister’s powers if the front was voted to power.

The six-member drafting committee also agreed to amend the Constitution stipulating only two terms in office as prime minister.
In other words, the proposed amendment would not allow anyone to hold the prime minister’s office for more than two terms.

‘We would recommend the amendment of the Constitution to make it more democratic and contemporary,’ drafting committee member and Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury told New Age.
‘The draft manifesto would also recommend inclusion of the opposition parties in decision making,’ said Zafrullah adding that the JOF manifesto would promote politics of consensus and accommodation and discourage retribution.

He said that women empowerment, stopping extra judicial killing and amendment of the digital security act would be attached priority in the proposed manifesto.

He said that the manifesto would recommend formation of a committee for amending the Constitution.

Manifesto drafting committee member Mahfuz Ullah said that there was consensus in the meeting to recommend amendment to Article 70 of the Constitution to provide greater freedom to MPs but not floor crossing.
Except for the army and the police the manifesto would put no age limit and no requirement to pay fees for candidates of public service examinations, said Mahfuz.

He expressed the hope that the manifesto drafting would be completed at the next meeting on Tuesday.

He said that the draft manifesto would be placed at the JOF’s steering committee for approval. On November 13, the JOF formed the six-member manifesto drafting committee.

The committee comprises of BNP nominee Mahfuz Ullah, Gano Forum’s AOM Shafiq Ullah, Nagorik Oikya’s Jahed Ur Rahman, JSD’s Shahid Uddin Mahmud Swapan, Krishak Sramik Janata League’s Iqbal Siddique and JOF’s Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury.